Railroad-switch lock



(No Model.)

J. J. TURNER; RAILROAD SWITCH LOCK.

N0. 536,670. Patented Apr. 2,1895.

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INVENTOR:

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RAILROAD-SWITCH LOCK.

SPECIFICATIN forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,670, dated April 2, 1895.

Application led December 27l l894. Serial No. 533,061. (No model.)

panying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to the devices used in connection with railroad switches and known as switch locks, their function being to lock the-movable rails of the switch in position prior to the use of the switch, and also, as a rule, to prevent the setting of the switch signal to the point indicating safety in case, by

reason of an improper setting of the switch, it cannot be locked in position.

As heretofore constructed the locking of the switch, and the setting'of the signal has depended simply upon the bringing of the .movable rails to their correct position, and

the object of my invention is to make the locking of the switch depend not only upon the proper position of the movable switch rails, but also upon the proper position of the stock rail of the main track, in connection with which the switch rails operate.

In all switch locks the locking of theswitch is eltected by means of yone or more movable members attached to and actuated by the movable rails of the switch, and one or more oo-acting movable members actuated by a lever or other convenient device through what I may call the locking connection,the two members, or sets of members, making up the lock being formed and arranged so that they "will only interlock in certain positions cor- 'A of interlocking with the member actuated by the movable rails.

Reference being now had to the drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure 1,is a

- plan view of a switch andthe switch lock contrack, A indicating what I have referred to as the stock rail.

B B indicate the movable rails of the switch secured together as indicated by the connecytions B and B2.

C C C C indicate the railroad ties, C being that tie upon which the points of the switch move, and which as is usual, has a metal plate D secured upon` its upper surface.

E is what I will call the lock-box its func# tion being to guide the movable members ofA the switch and bring them into correct alignment with each other at proper times. This lock-box, in the construction shown, I provide with clamps E', adapted as shown to lit against the side of the stock rail, and to be secured thereto as by bolts E2 so that the lock box preserves, and must preserve a fixed and positive position at all times with reference to the stock rail. A transverse slot E3 is formed in the lock box for the passage of the movable lock member H actuated by the switch points, and a longitudinal slot or guide way E4 which crosses and intersects the slot E3 is also formed in the lock-box for the other movable member of the lock. As shown, a separate plate F is secured to the under side of the lock-box E having in it a slot F3, the function of which is to support the bar H and hold it in proper position in the slot E3.

G is a plate, secured to and movable longitudinally in the slot E4 of the lock box, and having in the construction shown depending flanges G2 .Gr3 which flanges constitute the locking bolts proper of this movable member of the lock. As shown, the bar or plate G is provided with a perforated lug G by which connection is made with the locking connections indicated at I, I', I?, I3, and I4.

H is the movable lock member which is actuated by the switch points. As shown, it is ICO connected with the cross bar B2 and it extends through the slot F3 which holds it in place in the slot E3 of thelock-box. Its upper edge is provided with slots H and H2, corresponding with the flanges or bolts G2 and G3 of the bar G, the arrangement being such that when the switch is in the position indicated in Fig. l, the notch or slot H will register with the depending flange or lock bar G2 so that a movement of the locking connection will cause this bolt G2 to enter the slot H and thereby lock the switch in position. When on the other hand the switch is thrown over in contact with the stock rail A' the slot H2 will register with the bolt Gs and the movement of the locking connections will cause these members to interlock and hold the switch in its new position. The motion of the switch points is brought about by a lever or other actuating device connecting thereto connections J, J', J2. As shown, connections K, K', K2, extend from the end of the bar H and may be connected with anygdesired object to an interlocking system, and it will be understood that a signal or signals can be actuated from thelocking connectionJ, J', J2, duc., if desired.

From what has been said above it will be obvious that if the rail A becomes displaced the lock-box E and the bolts connected therein must also necessarily become displaced, so that the bolts will not register with the slots H' and H2 of the bar H when the switch is thrown to one position or theother. Consequently it will be impossible to lock the switch, and a grave danger is thus entirely obviated.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a railroad switch a switch lock consisting of a movable member as H actuated by the movements ofthe switch rails, a movable member as G actuated by a locking connection, said movable members being formed and arranged to interlock and prevent movement of the switch only when the movable switch rails are in operative positions, and a guide for the movable member actuated by the locking connection secured to the stock rail of the main track whereby the'said movable member is caused to move laterally in case of a movement of said stock rail and an interlocking of the movable members thereby prevented.

2. In combination with a railroad switch a lock box as E firmly secured to the stock rail of the main track, a lock barH passing transversely through said lock box and actuated by the movable rails of the switch, and a locking bolt or bolts as G2 G3 guided in the lock box and actuated'by a locking connection, all substantially as described, and so that no locking ot' the switch can take place when the stock rail is displaced.

JAMES JEWETF TURNER.

Witnesses;

W. S. WHITE, CHARLES A. GEEGAN. 

